The purple pinks and roses breath’d in turn
Red kisses on us, which like fire did burn;
Even the smallest daisy’s faint perfume
Appear’d a life ideal then to bloom.
But thou didst peacefully beside me go,
In a white satin dress, demure and slow,
Like some girl’s portrait limn’d by Netscher’s art,
A little glacier seem’d to be thy heart.
VII.
At reason’s solemn judgment-seat
Thy full acquittal hath been spoken;
The verdict says: the little one
By word or deed no law hath broken.
Yes, dumb and motionless thou stood’st,
While madd’ning flames were raging through me;
Thou stirredst not, no word thou spak’st,
Yet thou’lt be ever guilty to me.
Throughout my visions every night
A voice accusing ceaseth never
To charge thee with ill will, and say
That thou hast ruin’d me for ever.
It brings its proofs and witnesses,
Its musty rolls from thought long banish’d
And yet at morning, with my dream,
Lo, the accuser too hath vanish’d!
Now hath it in my inmost heart,
With all its records, refuge taken—
One only haunts my memory still:
That I am ruin’d and forsaken.